Flushing attachment for sink-strainers



(No Model.)

0. W. SWIFT. PLUSHING ATTACHMENT FOR SINK STRAINERS.

No. 601,860. Patented Ma.r 2'9, 1

Witnesses.- Inventor.

ORRIN W. SWIFT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FLUSHING ATTACHMENT FOR SINK-STRAINERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,360, dated March 29, 1898. Application filed January 20,1897. Serial No. 619,914. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORRIN W. SWIFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing Attachments for Sink-Strainers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to means for flushing the traps or other outlets underlying sinkdrainers; and it has for its object to provide such drainers with an attachment by means of which a stream of water from one of the faucets of the sink or from any convenient source can be directed bodily through the center of the drainer and then discharged in a series of streams or jets into the trap beneath'in such manner as to thoroughly flush and clean the latter.

To this end my invention consists in the flushing attachment for sink-drainers constructed and operating as hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts in the several vlews, Figure 1 is a plan view of a sinkdrainer provided with a flushing attachment embodying my invention as the same appears when not in use. Fig. 2is aside or edge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar view, drawn to a larger scale and partly in vertical section, of the drainer and its flushing attachment as they appear when the latter is in operation. Fig. 4 is a like view showing a slightly-modified form of the attachment. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the form of central hub shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the valvedisk used in both forms of the invention.

The numeral 1 designates a sink drainer or strainer having the usual series of drainerholes 2 and screw holes 3 to receive the screws by which the drainer is secured to the sink-bottom. At the center of said drainer and preferably formed integral therewith is located a hub 4, projecting both above and below the same, the opposite ends of which hub are exteriorly threaded, as shown. An

internally-threaded cap 5 (see Figs. 1 and 2) is adapted to be applied to the upper end of said hub to normally close the latter when it is not in use for flushing purposes, said cap thus protecting the threads on the hub and obviating any liability of injuring the hands of a person using the sink by contact with said threads. At its lower end the hub 4 is provided with the countersunk chamber 6 and receives at said lower end the internallythreaded gland 7, in the bottom of which are a series of outlet-openings 8, some of which openings are disposed at an angle to the axis of the hub, as shown, for the purpose of cans ing a wider diffusion of the jets of water passing therethrough. The hub 4' is provided with a central .bore extending through the same, and against the annular shoulder forming the upper end of the countersunk chamber 6 normally rests a valve-disk 9, which disk is pressed against said shoulder by the coil-spring '10, said spring bearing at'its lower end against the bottom of the gland 7. Said valve-disk is provided at its edge with a series of water-passages 12, (see Fig. 6,) which may be of any desired shape. By thus normally closing the lower end of the bore of the hub 4 provision is made for keeping the chamber 6 free from any obstructing matter should the cap 5 be inadvertently left off from the upper end of the hub when the flushv A rubber or ing attachment is not in use. other flexible pipe 13 of the proper length to extend from the hub 4 to one of the sinkfaucets or other source of water-supply is provided at one end with the coupling-nut 14, of common form, (see Fig. 3,) by which it can be coupled to the faucet, and at its opposite end it terminates in the metallic nozzle 15, which is adapted to loosely fit within the bore of hub 4 and is of slightly greater length'than said bore. A coupling-nut 16, engaging a shoulder 17 on said nozzle, is adapted to en gage the threaded upper end of the hub in such manner that by turning said nut down upon the hub it will be caused to force the lower end of the nozzle against the valvedisk 9 and move the latter downwardly away from its seat to the position, for example, shown in Fig. 3. If the water be now turned on at the faucet, it will pass through the pipe 13 to and through the hub 4, through the passages 12 in'the valve-disk into the chamber 6, and will issue from the latter in a series of jets through the openings 8, it being diffused by the latter in such manner as to thoroughly cleanse the trap or other outlet beneath the drainer. After the water has been permitted to .run for a sufficient time to thoroughly flush the outlet the nozzle 15 is withdrawn from the hub, the spring immediately returning the valve-disk to its closed position, and the cap 5 is placed on the hub, thus completing the operation. nozzle is provided with a series of waterpassages 18 at its outer end to permit the Water to pass between it and the valve-disk; but the particular shape or number of said openings is not material so long as their combined capacity is equal to or greater than that of the pipe 13.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the hub 4 is providedwith two oppositely-located vertical grooves 19 in its bore, and the flexible pipe 20 carries a nozzle 21, having the outwardly-projecting lugs 22, adapted to' enter the grooves 19 when the nozzle is thrust inwardly against the valvedisk. After the nozzle has been insertedfar enough to carry the lugs 22 out of theinner ends of the grooves 19 a slight rotary movement of the nozzle to carry said lugs out of alinement with said grooves causes the lugs to look the nozzle within the hub with the valve-disk in its open position. A flange 23 on the nozzle acts as a stop to limit its insertion within the hub at the proper point to permit the lugs to act, as described. The pipe 20 is shown as having its opposite end free from any coupling to enable it to be simply thrust upon the end of the supply-faucet;

but its being provided with a coupling similar to the coupling-nut 14c of pipe 13 will depend upon the form of faucet with which it is desired to connect. To release this form of nozzle, it is necessary simply to turn it back to the position in which the lugs register with the grooves 19 and then withdraw it from the hub.

It will be observed that in both forms of the invention shown the nozzle, when inserted within the hub, prevents the entrance of any obstructing matter to the latter during the flushing operation, and that it cannot be withdrawn from the hub without causing the valvedisk 9 to instantly close the inner end of the bore of the hub for the same purpose.

By adjusting the gland 7 upon the lower end of the hub the tension of thespring 10 can be varied as may be desired, and any loss of power thereof can be compensated for in I the same manner.

Various modifications in the details of constructionherein shown and described can be made within the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sink-drainerprovided with a centrallydisposed, tubular hub, and having a valve which normally closes the bore of said hub As herein shown, the

and is adapted to be opened by downward pressure exerted against it within the bore, substantially as described.

2. A sink-drainerprovided with a centrallydisposed, tubular hub, extending both above and below the body of the drainer, and having a removable cap for closing the upper end of said hub, and avalve for normally closing its lower end substantially as described.

3. A sink-drainer provided with atubular hub eXtendingboth above and below the plane of the drainer, said hub being provided, below said drainer, with a chamber terminating at its upper end in an annular shoulder surrounding the bore of the hub, a valve for closing the bore, and a spring which normally presses said valve against said shoulder, arranged and operating substantially as described.

4. A sink-drainer having a hub provided with a central bore which terminates at its lower end in a chamber, and having, within said chamber, a valve for closing the bore of the hub and a spring for pressing said valve to its seat, together with means for adjusting the tension of said spring, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

5. A sink-drainer having a central hub the bore of which terminates at its lower end in a countersunk chamber, and having, within said chamber, a valve-disk which is adapted to close the lower end of the bore, and a spring for pressing said disk against its seat, said valve-disk having in its periphery a series of water-passages, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a sink-drainer having a tubular hub the bore of which is normally closed at its lower end by spring-actuated valve, of a flexible pipe adapted to be connected at one end to a water-faucet, and carrying, at its opposite end, anozzle adapted to be inserted within said drainer-hub to force said valve away from its seat, together with means for locking said nozzle in such position, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a sink-drainer having a tubular hub and a spring-actuated valve for normally closing the bore of said hub at its lower end, of a flexible pipe carrying at one end a nozzle adapted to be thrust within the bore of said hub to open said valve, said nozzle being provided, at the end thereof which engages said valve, with a plurality of water-passages leading outwardly from the bore thereof, and means for locking said nozzle in a position to hold the valve in its open position, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a sink drainer having a centrally-disposed hub the bore of which terminates at its lower end in a chamber having a series of vents or water-passages in its bottom, of a valve located within said chamber, a spring which normally holds said valve in a position to close the lower end of the bore of the hub, a flexible pipe carrying a nozzle adapted to be thrust downwardly bottom and being provided, within said cham-.

her, with a spring-actuated valve which normally closes the lower end of the bore of the hub, at the top of the chamber, of a flexible pipe having at one end means for connecting it to a water-faucet, and carrying, at its opposite end, a nozzle adapted to be thrust downwardly within said drainer-hub to open said valve, and an internally-threaded gland which is swiveled. upon said nozzle and is adapted to engage the threaded upper end of said hub, whereby said nozzle can be caused to depress said valve to and lock it in its open position by turning said gland downwardly upon the hub, substantially as set forth.

10. The sink-drainer 1 having the hub 4 exteriorly threaded at its upper and lower ends and provided at its lower end with the chamber 6, combined with the valve 9 and spring 10 Within said chamber, the inter nally-threaded, perforated gland 7 applied to the lower end of said hub, and the screw- Cap 5 adapted to be applied to the upper end of said hub, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORRIN W. SWIFT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CHAPMAN, GEORGE E. HALL. 

